The SJ has moved into finish and I have a day or so into the P OM. This Adi top is a good example of trading a higher quality top against a visual issue to upgrade a guitar for no additional cost to the customer. This top would be a high AAA if it didn't have a bit of asymmetrical "red horse" color in it. If the color weren't there, I would have had to pay more for it, and I would have had to charge more for it. As it is I paid only a bit more for it, and it will be my gift to the customer.

I'd be perfectly happy with a top like that - one more "flawed" if you want to call it that. To me, this is "more interesting" and not flawed at all. The important thing is the sound and if it's got that, what more could one want?

In the currently nearby thread documenting my SJ build for Bob Berger, AGF user Gitarro asked me about "best practices" regarding achieving symmetry while building with my moldless method. The phrase was unfamiliar to me. Once defined, I realized I had never really thought about my work this way, having no employees or apprentices I did not seem to require it.

I continue to think about it however; How do I keep things pretty much in line without the industry standard molds I have foregone some 25 year ago? In today's work, I have seen a BIG "best practice", I believe. I spend a good deal of effort making my end blocks as perfect as possible, and in particular getting their outside surfaces, which are curved, perfectly perpendicular to the center line of the top. If this is done right, there is every chance of getting a symmetrical guitar, and if it is flubbed, no chance at all.

Here are those blocks freshly glued into Tom's guitar, and the glue has just been washed off with hot water . . . after which I checked for square the umpteenth time:

I have taken many clues from Bruce and his generous documentation he provides for us to follow. I also build off the top without a mold, I used to worry about getting the front and end block parallel to each other. In the last two instruments I found a simple solution to ensure that they are square and parallel. I cut a 2"X2" spruce stud to the inside dimensions between the blocks with a miter saw. I clamp it between the blocks and then glue and clamp the blocks down. When the glue is dry just unclamp and remove the 2"X2". It made gluing the blocks in a no brainer.

I have taken many clues from Bruce and his generous documentation he provides for us to follow. I also build off the top without a mold, I used to worry about getting the front and end block parallel to each other. In the last two instruments I found a simple solution to ensure that they are square and parallel. I cut a 2"X2" spruce stud to the inside dimensions between the blocks with a miter saw. I clamp it between the blocks and then glue and clamp the blocks down. When the glue is dry just unclamp and remove the 2"X2". It made gluing the blocks in a no brainer.

I actually thought about something like this for the first time just after I posted earlier. I believe I will try it!